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Internationalization

Heather Poechman (Artsci’17) got the idea for the Queen’s Winter Coat Exchange after she came back from an exchange in Morocco and began working as a peer adviser in the International Programs Office. The extremes of Canadian weather often came up in conversations with other students, both domestic and international, and she realized that there was a need among students for affordable or free winter gear.

Heather Poechman (Artsci'17) started the Queen's Winter Coat Exchange, which operates out of the Room of Requirement in the John Deutsch University Centre. (University Communications)

“For international students, it’s already a big expense to come and study in Canada. To add hundreds of dollars of winter gear to their budgets is a big burden,” says Ms. Poechman. “Sometimes, students will say they ‘have lots of sweaters,’ or they’ll ‘tough it out,’ instead of buying a coat. That sparked the idea of starting the Winter Coat Exchange.”

Now in its first year, the exchange offers coats, hats, mittens, and scarves – anything washable – to all students, both domestic and international, for free. Ms. Poechman is collecting donations for the program – lightly used winter coats and accessories in good condition – from individuals and businesses. She has already received a donation of a new coat from Kingston clothing store Cloth.

“The response has been really great so far, and I’m hoping that as the really cold weather sets in over the next month or so, we will receive more donations,” she says.

“The idea is that students can have the gear until it’s no longer needed. Exchange students may only need a coat for four months, but others may need it for four years. Either way, we simply ask them to return it when they don’t need it anymore.”

The Winter Coat Exchange operates out of the Queen’s Room of Requirement, Room 238, in the John Deutsch University Centre (JDUC). All donations can be dropped off at the Room of Requirement (open Monday-Friday, 8 am-midnight) and students looking for gear can drop by anytime during those hours. Ms. Poechman is also happy to collect donations from units or individuals across campus. Contact her via email at heather_poechman@zoho.com.

More information about the exchange and the Room of Requirement is available on Facebook.

Claire Gummo, a fourth-year Political Studies and Gender Studies at Queen's, has been selected as one of Canada's 11 Rhodes Scholars for 2017. (Supplied Photo)

When Claire Gummo found out that she was officially a 2017 Rhodes Scholar, her first call was to her mother.

Still reeling with the shock of seeing her dreams come true, the fourth-year Queen’s student wanted to share the moment.

“I called my mom - who raised my brother and me as a single mother – right away and I told her ‘Mom, all on your own you raised a Rhodes Scholar,’” she says.

Then the two had a good cry together.

Each year 11 Canadians are selected for Rhodes Scholarships, the most prestigious academic awards in the world. Created in 1902 by the will of British philanthropist Cecil Rhodes, the scholarships cover all costs for two or three years of study at the University of Oxford. The scholarships are awarded to students on the basis of high academic achievement and personal integrity, who are also expected to emerge as “leaders for the world’s future.”

Ms. Gummo, a Political Studies and Gender Studies student, is the university’s 57th Rhodes Scholar. At Oxford she plans to pursue an MPhil in Comparative Social Policy, studying the impact of sexual violence, and specifically sexual violence policies in security organizations.

While she may have been shocked to be named a Rhodes Scholar, it is not entirely surprising to those who know her.

The Calgary native arrived at Queen’s in 2013 as an Applebanks Loran Scholar, Canada’s largest scholarship awarded to 30 students each year. She is also a recipient of the Queen’s Excellence Scholarship and has been recognized on the Dean of the Faculty of Arts and Science’s Honour List with Distinction, with grades placing her in the top three per cent of all arts students.

Ms. Gummo’s drive to excel academically, and to make a difference in her community, were instilled by her mother.

“My mother has been an absolute inspiration for me,” she says. “I think growing up in a single-parent home you get a lot of indicators from society that tell you should feel underprivileged. But my mother refused to let our family feel that way. Right from the time that I was a very little girl she always instilled in my brother and me a sense of gratitude and a call to service. That, throughout my life, has been a driving force.”

At Queen’s, Ms. Gummo quickly became involved in the Kingston and university communities.

In her first year, she started to volunteer at the Sexual Health Resource Centre, taking part in the Accompaniment Service, supporting and accompanying clients to Kingston General Hospital if a medical evidence kit was required after an experience of sexual violence.

This had a tremendous and lasting impact on her, she explains. Since then she has set out to make a difference.

“In terms of sexual violence, for me, Queen’s is home and I want everyone to feel safe, welcome, and that they can engage in university life to the fullest,” she says. “I strive for a day when sexual violence is no longer a part of the university experience. That being said, I am encouraged by the fact that I am just one of many students and advocates who are working to make a future free of sexual violence a reality.”

Starting in 2015, Ms. Gummo has led a team of students in the delivery of a bystander intervention training program aimed at mobilizing the Queen’s community to recognize and prevent sexual violence. As a result more than 2,000 students have received the training since August. She also is a student representative on the Provost’s Implementation Team on Prevention and Response to Sexual Violence, as well as the associated Working Group, where she has assisted in the development of Queen’s sexual violence policy.

Academically, Ms. Gummo says that she is fortunate to have found a mentor in Stefanie von Hlatky (Political Studies), the Director of the Centre for international and Development Policy.

“She’s really guided my academic journey around women, peace and security, and in particular I found this personal and academic interest in sexual violence,” she explains. “At Oxford I would like to merge my two interests: on the one hand the social-cultural role of sexual violence and then, on the other hand, of defence and security organizations.”

Having now been named a Rhodes Scholar, Ms. Gummo is keenly aware of the people and organizations that have helped her along this journey.

“Above all else, I am deeply grateful to both Queen’s and the Loran Scholars Foundation for the support and sense of community they have provided to me over the last four years,” she says.

To learn more about the Rhodes Scholarship, visit the Rhodes Trust website.

Members of the QUIC staff step into the celebratory photo booth at the IPO event last week. (Oshaen-Lynn Swartz photo)

Representatives from the University of Tübingen, Germany, were available to speak with students at the International Exchange Fair held in Wallace Hall last week. Tübingen is a member, along with Queen's, of the Matariki Network of Universities. (Oshaen-Lynn Swartz)

During International Education Week – Nov. 14-18 – the Gazette featured several stories on activities and initiatives helping to advance Queen's international priorities.

Queen’s launched its Comprehensive International Plan in August 2015 to support its internationalization efforts. The plan’s goals include strengthening Queen’s international research engagement and creating more opportunities for student mobility through academic exchange and study-abroad programs. The plan also aims to attract high-quality international students to Queen’s and to increase international educational opportunities on Queen’s campus.

In the past year, the university has seen the number of undergraduate students participating in international exchange increase by nine per cent, while the number of international exchange students on Queen’s campus increased by 22 per cent. Several new international collaborative academic programs were initiated, including a dual-degree opportunity at the master’s level through Smith School of Business, with ESSEC Business School Paris-Singapore, a dual research degree in chemistry at the master’s level with the University of Stuttgart, Germany, and a “2 + 2” program, which will see undergraduate students from Beijing Normal University transfer to Queen’s for the final two years of their program in the field of biology.

For more information on International Education Week activities and other campus international initiatives, visit the International website.

During International Education Week – Nov. 14-18 – the Gazette is featuring several stories that highlight activities and initiatives helping to advance Queen’s international priorities. For this piece, the Gazette asked Christian Lloyd, Academic Director at the Bader International Study Centre (BISC), to write a feature story on one facet of teaching and learning at the BISC. This article highlights the BISC's "signature pedagogy": experiential learning.

Queen's in the World

Anyone fortunate enough to have visited the British Museum – or any of Europe’s other great cultural institutions – knows that they will have to fight their way through laggard groups of students who are bored and uncomprehending, or frozen to the spot in wonder by what they are seeing, but unable to process it. At its worst, undergraduate experiential learning may be nothing more than a remnant of the 19th-century Grand Tour: a box-ticking exercise in confirming one's status as a "cultured" person with no deep critical engagement implied. “Exit via the gift shop,” as Banksy put it.

But these hazards of learning beyond the classroom are not inevitable. In fact, they may simply be the product of miscalibrated teaching created by a deficit in specific support for instructors. Unless instructors are trained in the theory and practice of teaching experientially, they are unlikely to maximize their classes' learning on these occasions. Unless students are made self-conscious about the process and outcomes of learning experientially, then instructors cannot blame them for their difficulties.

During the first weekend of the term, students at the BISC take a walking tour of London and learn about the city's social and architectural highlights. (Chantal Valkenborg photo)

Experiential learning is the Bader International Study Centre's signature pedagogy, and our active learning approach in the field aims both to get our students thinking critically about core course content and to create transferable skills that will serve them in the long term. Ruth Cereceda, who heads our Experiential Learning program, has offered professional development sessions for our instructors to help them understand how to teach in the different modes required for such activities and to set appropriate learning objectives. She has also talked with students to help them take on board the cycle of experience > reflection > abstract conceptualization > active use of learning in assignments and skills development. Surveying of students and faculty, and analysis of the resulting data, is used to assess and refine future activities.

All of this careful preparation has produced striking results. For instance, the students on our core first-year course, BISC 100, have undertaken primary research at the Mass Observation Archive at the University of Sussex looking at what Britons understood to be their core values during the Second World War. Students had to engage critically with original documents in projects that compelled them to go beyond the thrill of having history in their hands.

Other experiential opportunities teach things that will be useful for life, such as the ability to use skills beyond their usual application. A great example of this was the math trip to “The Amazing World of M.C. Escher” exhibition, which guided students to deploy mathematical techniques to analyze the production of this artist’s unusual images. Indeed, much BISC field work centres on developing students’ ability to interpret images: a key skill for the digital age.

All of these experiential opportunities for students are, in students’ own estimation, highly motivational and memorable academic moments. One participant in our 2016 Law and Politics field school noted that after the careful preparation he had in class for their visit to Auschwitz concentration camp, “physically standing in the space meant that any distance between the topic of study and the present day instantly disappeared.” This visit produced memorable written work that went beyond standard views of this subject and spoke decisively to why the BISC experiential learning program will be at the heart of our future programming.

Queen’s Research Opportunities Funds help researcher build international team to learn more about how the structures of the foot allow for movement.

Queen’s researcher Michael Rainbow (Mechanical Engineering) is seeking to gain greater insight into the function and design of the human foot. With support from the Queen’s Research Opportunities Funds International Fund, Dr. Rainbow has made great strides in developing collaborations to further this research.

Queen's mechanical engineer Michael Rainbow is partnering with researchers around the world to examine the structure of the human foot. Their project is supported by a grant from the Queen's Research Opportunities Fund. (Supplied Photo)

“The human foot is an incredibly complex structure,” says Dr. Rainbow. “Much of what we think we know about how it functions comes from examinations on cadavers. Only recently has technology advanced enough to allow us to track the movement of the bones and activation of the muscles of the foot in real time and in 3D. We’re learning that the foot is far more multifaceted and dynamic than we thought previously.”

In collaboration with researchers from the University of Queensland, INRIA in France, and Brown University, Dr. Rainbow will work to analyze the biomechanics of the arch of the foot, as well as to gain a better understanding of the structures that modulate and control the stiffness of the arch. By analyzing the movement of the individual bones, ligaments and muscles in the foot, in context with full body movement, Dr. Rainbow and his colleagues will advance understanding of the neuromuscular and mechanical function of the foot and its contributions to the human musculoskeletal system.

A rendering of the bones and support structures of the foot. By learning more about how these structure allow for movement, Dr. Rainbow and his team can assist the development of more functional prosthetics, as well as rehabilitation or injury prevention techniques. (Supplied Rendering)

“By gaining a better understanding of how the structures of the foot transfer energy during motion, we will be able to design prosthetics that function more like a foot than the current designs,” he explains. “We’ll also be able to better understand what causes common injuries – such as plantar fasciitis – with an eye on prevention and more effective treatment.”

Their research has applications in improving the design of prosthetics that can better mimic the function of the structures of a foot, as well as provide insight for podiatrists and others who study chronic injuries. Finally, by partnering with an array of diverse institutions around the globe, Dr. Rainbow is also strengthening the relationships between the Human Mobility Research Centre at Queen’s and his collaborators in the United States, Australia, and France – something he credits to the QROF.

“The support we’ve received from the Queen’s Research Opportunities Funds has been crucial to forming partnerships with institutions around the globe, and bringing top researchers together for this project,” says Dr. Rainbow.

The inaugural Queen’s Research Opportunities Funds were launched in 2015, and are awarded in four categories – the Research Leaders’ Fund, the International Fund, the Arts Fund and the Post-Doctoral Fund. The funds represent an internal investment in the research enterprise, and provide researchers and scholars financial support to accelerate their programs and research goals.

The deadline to submit a letter of intent for the 2016-2017 competition is December 1, 2016. For more information, please visit the website.

During International Education Week – Nov. 14-18 – the Gazette is featuring several stories that highlight activities and initiatives helping to advance Queen’s international priorities.

Queen's in the World

When Brianna Mackey (ConEd’18) left for Ireland to study for two semesters at University College Dublin last year, she was extremely excited, as well as anxious and nervous.

Dreaming about studying abroad is one thing. Actually doing it is quite another. There were myriad schools and countries to consider, meetings with professors, forms and documents to obtain and fill out, finances to organize, as well as housing and travel arrangements. The process can be daunting.

So, when Ms. Mackey returned to Queen’s in May, ecstatic about her life-changing experience abroad, she jumped at the chance to become a peer adviser for students considering an international exchange opportunity.

Brianna Mackey (ConEd'18), second from left, visits the Dingle Peninsula in Ireland while studying at University College Dublin. Ms. Mackey is now a peer adviser in the International Programs Office at Queen's. (Supplied photo)

“I had such a remarkable time and didn’t want it to end – so I decided to share with students how much I loved the experience and to also help walk them through the process and keep them calm,” she says.

The peer advising program, run by the International Programs Office (IPO) at Queen’s, is designed to pair students interested in exchange with a returned student who is familiar with the process. Peer advisers work with prospective and nominated exchange students to help them navigate the exchange program. They share their experiences with students one-to-one and at information sessions on campus.

“The peer advising program is of tremendous importance to our student outreach. It complements our marketing efforts but more importantly it provides a venue for returned students to reflect and articulate their experiences – both positive and negative,” says Laura Esford, International Programs Manager, IPO.

“We were concerned that we weren’t providing enough opportunities to contextualize the experience for these students, so our unit began to look for ways to allow students to unpack this experience. We provide an office space, appointment schedule, and comprehensive training program for the peer advisers. The response has been overwhelming. They play a mentoring role, they’re honing their soft skills, and are helping the IPO shape its programming. Plus they bring a delightful energy to our unit.”

Helping students make big decisions

Ms. Mackey says that one of the biggest steps is choosing which school to go to. “There are so many schools that Queen's has an affiliation with and you have to rank your top-choice schools. I made a lot of pros and cons lists in order to narrow down the schools I wanted to apply to, based on course offerings, cultural components, and travel.”

When she meets with students planning to go to the same Dublin exchange program she attended, she helps them through the application process and advises them on some of the courses she took, her favourite cultural aspects of Dublin, and extracurricular activities.

Heather Poechman (Artsci’17) chose Morocco to complete her third year, where she attended École de Gouvernance et d'Économie de Rabat.

“The whole experience was wonderful and challenging. Every aspect of society was different from what I had grown up with. There was definitely culture shock,” says Ms. Poechman, who studies philosophy.

When she was going through the process, she recalls how helpful the IPO was, and she wanted to return the favour to prospective exchange students.

Luke Van Ryn (Artsci'17), shown in the Scottish Highlands, spent a semester at the University of Edinburgh and is now a peer adviser in the International Programs Office. (Supplied photo)

“Students can get into quite a panic as they’re preparing to go and I am happy to see the look of relief on their faces when I’ve offered advice,” she says.

One student she’s working with now is bound for Morocco soon, and after so many meetings and discussions, Ms. Poechman feels she is part of her journey. “I know that I have helped her to not only feel comfortable choosing Morocco, but I have helped assuage her fears about grades, culture shock, classes, transfer credits, how to talk to an academic adviser ... anything and everything related to exchange.”

Art history student Luke Van Ryn (Artsci’17) feels the same way. He returned from a semester at University of Edinburgh in Scotland last May. As he walked the streets of Edinburgh, visited landmark architectural sites, and soaked up Scottish culture, he began to feel like a local. “I loved the experience so much and the place began to feel like home to me.”

Mr. Van Ryn wanted to offer his knowledge to prospective students and help them to understand that while the process is stressful, it’s definitely worth it. “It’s not the easiest thing to do but you won’t regret the effort,” he says.

In fact, the one thing all three returning exchange students agree on is the richness of the experience – they all encourage anyone thinking about an exchange program to at least come into the IPO and see what the options are.

“It’s a life-changing experience. You come back a different person,” says Mr. Van Ryn.

For more information about exchange programs and the peer advising program, please visit the IPO website.

During International Education Week – Nov. 14-18 – the Gazette will feature several stories highlighting the activities and initiatives that are advancing Queen’s international priorities.

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As an alumna, Diana Chau, Queen's new recuiter in Beijing, is able to share the university experience with prospective students and their families. (University Communications)

As the new student recruiter for Queen’s in Beijing, Diana Chau is spreading the word about what the university has to offer to prospective students, while also gaining the experience of a lifetime.

Queen's in the World

An alumna herself, Ms. Chau (Artsci’12), knows the strengths of the Queen’s experience and is looking to increase the university’s presence in China by sharing her story.

“When I talk to students and their parents, I tell them how well Queen’s does in terms of domestic achievements and how well our students do in terms of retention and graduation. I also tell them what it’s like to study at Queen’s, what the sense of community is,” she says, adding that community is not a strong concept in China. “Coming from a Canadian and Queen’s alumna, I hope to spread that idea of community to them and to tell them that Queen’s is a great university.”

Ms. Chau started the position this summer and is the second recruiter in China for Queen’s, along with Sunny Wang, who is based in Shanghai.

The Queen’s University Comprehensive International Plan (QUICP) identifies China as a priority region for student recruitment, as well as for developing academic and research partnerships.

Queen’s reputation is growing in China and this second recruiter position will help bolster student recruitment. Among our international undergraduates, there are more students from China than any other country.

Ms. Chau had previously worked in a recruiting capacity for Queen’s after graduating before heading to Beijing for a similar position with Lakehead University. However, she was excited by the opportunity to return to her alma mater, while continuing her Beijing experience.

Living and working abroad can be a challenge but Ms. Chau, who hails from the small town of Tottenham, north of Toronto, enjoys the opportunity of experiencing another culture and seeing another part of the world.

The key to success, she says, is the same as it is for international students.

“Keeping an open mind and trying to get involved, getting to know your community, meet people there because if you are alone it really makes a big difference compared to being with a crowd of friends,” she says. “Plus if you have friends you can learn more about the culture, the language.”

Queen’s has set a goal of international students comprising 10 per cent of incoming undergraduate students by 2019, and China is key to reaching the enrolment target.

“We are very excited that Diana has joined our team in China. The growth we have experience from this region reflects the strong presence we have on the ground and in the local time-zone,” says Chris Coupland, Director, International Undergraduate Enrolment. “We are extremely fortunate to now have two professional and enthusiastic alumnae providing support to prospective students and their families, as well as school counsellors and institutional partners.”

In 2007, Queen’s became the first Canadian university to establish an office in China – the Queen’s China Liaison Office located at Fudan University in Shanghai – with the aim of building relations with partner institutions, prospective students and alumni.

In 2014, Queen’s launched a Chinese language webpage to strengthen the university’s connections with prospective Chinese students and their families.

Queen’s launched the QUICP in 2015 to support its internationalization efforts. The plan’s goals include strengthening Queen’s international research engagement and creating more opportunities for student mobility through programs like academic exchange programs. The plan also aims to attract high-quality international students to Queen’s and to increase international educational opportunities on the Queen’s campus.

During International Education Week – Nov. 14-18 – the Gazette will feature several stories highlighting the activities and initiatives that are advancing Queen’s international priorities.

Queen's in the World

In her role as head of Queen’s international portfolio, Kathy O’Brien gets to hear many stories from students, both Canadian and international, as well as faculty members, who tell her how their international experiences have shaped and changed their lives, or their research direction. The stories they share are tales of self-exploration and transformation.

“I remember, particularly, being in China and speaking to a student who had studied in the biology field program at Queen’s University Biology Station (QUBS),” says Ms. O’Brien, Associate Vice-Principal (International).

Kathy O'Brien, Associate Vice-Principal (International), speaks with PhD student Hasan Kettaneh during an International at Home event held at the Isabel Bader Centre for the Performing Arts in October. (Photo by Garrett Elliott)

“The program is not long, just a couple of weeks, but this woman told me how the experience had allowed her to expand her thinking, and gain insight into herself, something she had not been able to experience prior to coming here. She said it made her a more confident person, and more curious about the world. I was really struck by the strong impact such a short international learning experience had on her. I also felt very privileged to hear such an intimate story and it made me think about the connection between all of us – despite the size of the world, we are all deeply connected.”

It’s this strong impact – the capacity for life-changing experiences on a personal level and transformative intercultural collaboration on the research and academic levels – that drives international education at Queen’s, and is pushing it to new levels across the university’s faculties and programming, and at a central administrative level.

International @ Queen's
• Information on International Education Week activities Nov. 14-18 is available in the Gazette.
• More information on Queen’s international activities and the Comprehensive International Plan is available on the International website.

“The opportunities for intercultural learning have never been more widespread as they are today,” says Ms. O’Brien. “Students at Queen’s have a multitude of ways to shape their international experience – on campus in Kingston, at the Bader International Study Centre (BISC) in the U.K., or with one of our trusted partners around the world. I encourage everyone to seek out new educational experiences, and ways to expand their intercultural awareness and learning.”

When Ms. O’Brien took on the international portfolio in late 2013, creating the first comprehensive plan to support the institution’s international goals was top of her list. Released in 2015, the Queen’s University Comprehensive International Plan (QUCIP) provides quantitative measures across four pillars – International Research Engagement, International Mobility, International Enrolment Management, and International at Home – to guide the university’s goals for the next several years.

“The international plan is helping the Queens’ community focus its international efforts and work towards shared goals. I frequently hear from the community about how much people appreciate having this plan and how it’s driving their decision-making,” she says.

Highlights of the past year, and future goals

In the past year, the university has seen the number of undergraduate students participating in international exchange increase by nine per cent, while the number of international exchange students on Queen’s campus increased by 22 per cent. Several new international collaborative academic programs were initiated, including a dual-degree opportunity at the master’s level through Smith School of Business, with ESSEC Business School Paris-Singapore, a dual research degree in chemistry at the master’s level with the University of Stuttgart, Germany, and a “2 + 2” program, which will see undergraduate students from Beijing Normal University transfer to Queen’s for the final two years of their program in the field of biology.

“Our international recruitment team and our international exchange coordinators in the faculties have done excellent work to increase our international student population on campus,” says Ms. O’Brien. “Our deans, faculty members, and faculty international officers are developing new and creative academic programs in collaboration with our international partners, and encouraging our students to go abroad.”

"We want to seek more ways to engage and listen to our students about their international learning experiences – to inform our programs and services, and to build our international story."
—Kathy O'Brien, Associate Vice-Principal (International)

Ms. O’Brien and her team will build on this momentum in the current academic year, placing emphasis on the need to keep increasing faculty and student mobility, to work collaboratively to highlight the BISC and its distinctive programming, and to find more ways to show the world how Queen’s international research collaborations are making a direct impact and contribution.

Over the past several years, Queen’s has focused on three regions to build partnerships and opportunities: China, the U.K., and the U.S. With progress being made in all those areas, Ms. O’Brien says there is now a strong desire for the university to broaden its scope and make efforts to find institutional collaborations with areas in Africa, Latin America, and Southeast Asia.

“We also want to seek more ways to engage and listen to our students about their international learning experiences – to inform our programs and services, and to build our international story,” she says.

International engagement and community-building

While the QUCIP is new, Queen’s international story – and its deep international engagement – is not, as noted by Principal Daniel Woolf in his introduction in the strategic planning document. In fact, Ms. O’Brien says every day she learns about a new international research initiative, an international faculty member visit, or an international student experience.

“That’s one of the challenges – it is difficult to know the breadth and depth of the existing international collaborations and to recognize everyone who is contributing to the progress of our international plan. Another challenge is how to position Queen’s globally. Our education and research is exceptional but we need to determine what specific areas Queen’s wants to be known for internationally. There are choices to be made.”

Despite the challenges, the solid international foundation at Queen’s, the positive progress on performance indicators (noted in the QUCIP annual report, to be released in January 2017), and the momentum and enthusiasm around internationalization on campus, all point to a strong future.

“The community-building that is happening at Queen’s around internationalization is like nothing I have ever experienced in my 13 years at the university,” says Ms. O’Brien. “The positive conversations and exchange of ideas, the inspiring stories, the support advancing international education and research – it all makes me very proud.”

During International Education Week – Nov. 14-18 – the Gazette will feature several stories highlighting Queen’s international activities and priorities.

The Queen’s community joins worldwide celebrations Nov. 14-18 for International Education Week, an annual initiative that showcases the importance of international education and its significant impact on students and campuses around the globe.

“This week provides an occasion to celebrate, as a Queen’s community, our diversity and the multitude of international initiatives and collaborations we have available to our students,” says Kathy O’Brien, Associate Vice-Principal (International). “Queen’s is looking past the borders of our Kingston campus and seeking different ways to provide our students with a variety of opportunities to help them shape their international experience while they are here.”

The Queen’s University International Centre (QUIC) and the International Programs Office (IPO) have coordinated several events during International Education Week, which include:

International students gather during orientation events in January 2016. (Photo by Bernard Clark)

Queen’s launched its Comprehensive International Plan in August 2015 to support its internationalization efforts. The plan’s goals include strengthening Queen’s international research engagement and creating more opportunities for student mobility through academic exchange and study-abroad programs. The plan also aims to attract high-quality international students to Queen’s and to increase international educational opportunities on Queen’s campus.

In the past year, the university has seen the number of undergraduate students participating in international exchange increase by nine per cent, while the number of international exchange students on Queen’s campus increased by 22 per cent. Several new international collaborative academic programs were initiated, including a dual-degree opportunity at the master’s level through Smith School of Business, with ESSEC Business School Paris-Singapore, a dual research degree in chemistry at the master’s level with the University of Stuttgart, Germany, and a “2 + 2” program, which will see undergraduate students from Beijing Normal University transfer to Queen’s for the final two years of their program in the field of biology.

For more information on International Education Week activities and other campus international initiatives, visit the International website.

Queen’s International Centre for the Advancement of Community Based Rehabilitation (ICACBR) celebrates 25 years as leader in inclusion and human rights.

Principal Daniel Woolf speaks at the 25th anniversary celebration for the International Centre for the Advancement of Community Based Rehabilitation (ICACBR)

Founder and former executive director of the ICACBR, Dr. Malcolm Peat reflects on 25 years of the centre's work - helping individuals with disabilities around the world.

Dr. Richard Reznick, Dean of the Faculty of Health Sciences, congratulates the centre on their 25 year anniversary and speaks to the centre's past and future projects.

Dr. Heather Aldersey, Director of the centre's Access to Health and Education for all Children and Youth with Disabilities in Bangladesh (AHEAD) program, thanks the centre's past and present researchers, as they set their sights on the next 25 years of community based rehabilitation work around the globe.

Queen's in the World

Researchers, students and faculty from the Faculty of Health Sciences and the School of Rehabilitation Therapy gathered on Oct. 27 to celebrate the milestone 25th anniversary of the International Centre for the Advancement of Community Based Rehabilitation (ICACBR). The event featured past and current members of the centre, and presented an opportunity to look back on past projects as well as ongoing efforts to expand community based rehabilitation (CBR) practices in communities around the world.

The international cohort of Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Scholars in the School of Rehabilitation Therapy deliver brief Pecha Kucha presentations on their work.

“Just as (founder and former executive director of the ICACBR) Malcolm Peat and the other founders envisioned, the Centre has advanced the knowledge and practice of CBR, and has provided a platform for training the next generation of practitioners and researchers,” says Terry Krupa, Professor and Associate Director (Research and Post-Professional Programs) in the School of Rehabilitation Therapy. “The Centre has demonstrated how the resources of a university can be harnessed and structured to make a real difference in the world, responding in a timely, effective and collaborative manner to issues of disability, health and well-being in low resource settings, and in settings impacted by conflict, political upheaval and natural disasters.”

Past and present ICACBR researchers and students gathered to celebrate the centre's 25th anniversary.

The centre currently manages three projects – the Access to Health & Education for all Disabled Children & Youth (AHEAD) project in Bangladesh, the Queen Elizabeth II Scholarships for Excellence in International Community Based Rehabilitation, and a participatory project on stigma and intellectual disability in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. The AHEAD program works in concert with the Centre for the Paralyzed (CRP) and Bangladesh Health Professionals Institute (BHPI) to improve access to health and education services for children and youth as a means of reducing poverty and promoting inclusion. The QE II project supports Canadian OT and RHBS students to research and train in Bangladesh, India and Tanzania, as well as provides opportunities for CBR leaders from low- and middle-income countries to pursue PhDs in RHBS at Queen’s. The Congo project is focused on reducing the stigma around intellectual disabilities in the capital, Kinshasa.

“The anniversary is an important milestone, in that it marks 25 years of international collaboration with people with disabilities, their families, and the organizations that serve them,” says Heather Aldersey, Director of the AHEAD Project and a Queen’s National Scholar in International Community Based Rehabilitation. “The ICACBR has always placed great emphasis on working directly with communities on issues of greatest priority to them. The future will be no different, and we will continue to work in close collaboration with our partners to build community capacity for inclusion.”

Past and present researchers and students watch a slideshow presentation on the centre's 25 years of service, working to bring community based rehabilitation to areas in need around the globe.

In addition to the centre’s ongoing projects, ICACBR researchers have played a crucial role in the development of CBR as a tool to provide rehabilitation services in conflict and post-conflict zones. The centre was a leading player in post-war health and social reconstruction after the conflicts in the Balkans, providing training for over 500 local healthcare practitioners and creating over 40 accessible CBR health centres. Over 200 researchers and practitioners – including professionals from the Canadian rehabilitation and disability communities, as well as Queen’s students and faculty – have been involved in ICACBR projects and research.

“The 25th anniversary is a really great opportunity for both the School of Rehabilitation Therapy and for ICACBR, because it’s a chance to recognize the progression from the early work the centre did that was so foundational to development of community-based rehabilitation internationally,” says Rosemary Lysaght, Associate Director (Occupational Therapy Program), School of Rehabilitation Therapy. “There’s much to reflect on from our past as we look ahead to the next 25 years. There’s so much opportunity and still, sadly, so much need in the world. The ICACBR provides a lot of leadership and it’s a real opportunity to solidify how we move forward as the early leaders retire and as new opportunities arise.”